


Honest, Brutal, and Afraid

by lankyguy



Category: Eu não quero voltar sozinho | I Don't Want to Go Back Alone (2010), Hoje Eu Quero Voltar Sozinho | The Way He Looks (2014)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-08
Updated: 2014-07-08
Packaged: 2018-02-08 01:51:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1922223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lankyguy/pseuds/lankyguy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The fallout from the events in the movie continues.</p><p>Hoje Eu Quero Voltar Sozinho | The Way He Looks (2014)</p><p>"Leonardo is a blind teenager searching for independence. His everyday life, the relationship with his best friend, Giovana, and the way he sees the world change completely with the arrival of Gabriel." summary from IMDB</p>
            </blockquote>





	Honest, Brutal, and Afraid

“Look at that! The relationship is really holding up, huh, Leonardo?” Fabio taunted after Gabriel, Leonardo and Giovana passed his group of schoolyard toughs, blind Leo holding onto Gabriel’s arm for guidance.

Gabriel felt Leo's body tense, and they stopped. 

Leo's fingers moved from their place, holding onto Gabriel’s upper arm and found the way down to his hand. Their fingers intertwined and Leo moved forward, hand in hand with Gabriel.

“Dude, you just got fucked!” Carlinhos teased and pushed Fabio, “Jackass.” The crowd around Fabio agreed and began to taunt and laugh at him.

“Was that okay?” Leo said under his breath, “I just ‘outed’ us.”

“Dummy,” Gabriel said and bumped into Leo’s body, making his blind boyfriend smile in response. They walked cheerily away, Giovana beside them.

“I forgot, I go to my grandmother’s today,” Leo said as they reached the corner.

“No problem, we’ll walk back with you,” Giovana said.

“I’ll come pick you up later, and we can go to the park.”

“I’d like that,” Leo pulled playfully on Gabriel’s arm as they turned and walked toward Leo’s grandmother’s house.

“Curb,” Gabriel said just before Giovana did. “Leo, Giovana’s rolling her eyes at us.”

Leonardo stepped down into the street with Gabriel.

“You’re entirely too cute, together. I may throw up,” the tall girl said as they crossed the intersection.

“Yes,” Leo grinned.

“Curb,” Gabriel said.

“Thank you.”

“Now that the truth is out, it is rather obvious,” Giovana said airily.   
“What is Gi?” Leo asked

“You two liking each other.”

“I thought I was very obvious,” Gabriel said, “I was sure everyone would notice how I stare at you, Leo.”

“You do?” Leo said in amazement. He reached up and lightly touched Gabriel’s cheek.

“All the time,” Giovana agreed quickly, and Gabriel gave her a questioning look. “Like I said, it seems obvious - now,” She added. 

“Well, I was certainly obvious,” Leo’s mouth twisted.

“You think?” Gabriel squeezed his hand.

“Fabio, of all people, noticed,” Leo pointed out

“He just thought he was being mean,” Giovana disagreed.   
“On some level he got it. So did you Gi,” Leo countered.

“That’s true,” Gabriel nodded, “remember our talk at Karina’s party?”

“I’d rather not. Leo almost kissed a dog,” Giovana said bitterly.

“It’s where I almost kissed a dog, AND had my first kiss with Gabriel.”

“That is definitely something to remember,” Gabriel agreed. “We’re here.”

“I know, I can tell - her house always smells like vanilla.”

Leo's grandmother Maria watched the two young men come to the door, still holding hands. Giovana beside them.

Gabriel blushed when he noticed her gaze, and his head bowed.

“Ciao, Leo,” Giovana said, kissing Leo’s cheek.

“Ciao, Gi.”

“I'll come back with my bike, in an hour, or so,” Gabriel gave him a quick peck on the cheek, looked up at Leo’s grandmother sheepishly .

“Ciao, Gabriel,” Leo replied with a smile.

“So it's like that, is it?” Leo’s grandmother asked as they sat down at the table.

“What, Ma?” Leo feigned innocence, a lilt of mirth on his lips.

“Leo, I'm old, not stupid. You like this boy,” Maria teased, as she poured Leo’s tea.

“I do, “ Leo agreed. 

“It’s hot, “ She said from habit and handed him a cup.

“Thank you,” Leo took the cup and blew on the tea.

“Does he like you back?” Maria asked.

“He does,” Leo beamed.

“There it is,” Maria laughed.

“What, Ma?”

“That smile I love, I haven't seen it in a while,” She teased.

“Ma, stop it.”

“Now, tell me why you like this boy, he is cute, but you can't know that.”

“Oh, I do. I do know that. I can tell by way people react to him,” Leo explained. “Also the girls go out of their way to tell me,”

“Ah. Tell me what you like about him?” Maria brushed an errant lock of hair back into place on her blind grandson’s forehead.

“You don't like him?”

“I do Leo, I just want to know what my ‘Little Lion’ sees in him. What first attracted you to him?”

“His voice - of course,” Leo nodded, “From the first day I heard it. I love the way he says my name. I like that he challenges me, you know? He forgets I'm blind, he takes me to things - we do things no one else would do with me.”

“Such as?” Maria asked.

“I learned to ride on the back of his bike,” Leo said proudly. That day after school, when they first went to work on their project had been a revelation to him. 

_Gabriel put Leo’s left foot on the peg._

_“Now, when we take off, put your right foot on the other,” Gabriel said._

_“Easy for you to say,” Leo grinned, equal parts scared and excited. His hands firmly gripping Gabriel’s shoulders as his friend climbed onto the seat._

_“I won’t go fast - at first.” Gabriel said. Leo heard the amusement in his voice._

“Leo!” His grandmother scolded.

“See, what I mean? No one else has taken me riding. And we went to the movies,” Leo tensed, “ And he took me to see an eclipse. He doesn't assume I have no interest in things, just because I can’t see them.”

“I think… I think like him more and more,” Maria said, and Leo settled back hearing the pleasure in her voice.

“And he's kind. He's nicer to people than I am sometimes, sees the better in them.”

“How so?” She protested, “How can he be nicer than my Leo?”

“Karina, a girl from school. Some of the girls say bad things about her; call her a slut. I think they’re jealous. He didn't listen to what they say, he likes her,” Leo explained.

“And you?”

“I… I also talked bad about her,” he said sheepishly, “I never disliked her, but I went along with everyone else.”

“I see.”

“I was also jealous,” Leo said, regret in his voice, ”I thought he liked Karina, and she obviously liked him.”

“How does Giovana feel about all this?”

“At first she was hurt and jealous - of both of us, I think, but she seems okay now. Besides she has a new boy to focus on.”

“Hah!” Grandmother humphed, “A new romance always helps take the mind off one missed.”

“His name is William, she says he looks a bit like Gabriel ‘but with caramel colored skin,’” Leo shrugs.

Grandmother Maria giggled. 

The door bell chined.

“That must be your young prince, I'll let him in, Leo”

“Ma?”

“Yes, Little Lion?”

“Nothing. Thank you,” Leo said.

She kissed him on the head, then went to open the door.

“Come in Gabriel,” Leo heard her say in the background and the opening squeak of the door.

“I like your grandmother. Gabriel said later in the park. Leo sat with his back to a tree, and Gabriel’s head in his lap. The blind young man stroked his boyfriend’s curly locks.

“She likes you too,” Leo smiled.

“When do I get to meet your parents?” Gabriel played with a piece of grass.

“They already know you, Ga.”

“You know what I mean, as your boyfriend,” He reached up and teased Leo’s nose with the blade of grass.

“I don’t know,” Leo batted it away. “I think maybe we should ease them into it, let them figure it out on their own.” Leaning down, he plants a quick kiss on the bridge of Gabriel’s nose.

"Oh, no!" Leo stiffens.

"What is it, Leo?" Gabriel sits up.

"Grab my phone from my bag. I forgot to call my parents. If I'm late, they'll worry and I don't want to go through that drama, again.”

Gabriel quickly fished for Leo's mobile phone in the back pack.

"Number 1 - speed dial,” Leo said.

"What number am I?” Gabriel asked.

"Three, after Giovana."

"I'd protest, but,”

“Yes,” Leo tilted his head.

"She's just talking to us again. I'm in no hurry to make her mad,” Gabriel said with amusement. 

"Hallo, this is Gabriel," he said into the phone, “No. No, everything is fine. Leo is with me, we went to the park. He didn't want to worry you. Of course, Ciao.” He handed the phone to his blind friend and lay his head back down on Leo’s lap.

"Mom, yes. Of course everything is fine, I'm with Gabriel,” Leo continued to play with the other boy’s curls. "Yes, I'll be home soon. I'll ask. My mother wants to know if you'll stay for dinner?"

"If it's alright with my dad."

"He said ‘yes.’ Ciao, Mom. Yes. Kisses,” Leo said into the phone

"That was a 'maybe.'"

“Yes," Leo repeated.

"Are you arguing with me or agreeing?" Gabriel asked.

"Yes," Leo cocked his head, one corner of his mouth curling.

"You are impossible, sometimes."

"Thank you."

"How do you think your mother will react - to us?"

"With drama, and neuroses,” Leo puffed.

"Of course,” Gabriel took the exhalation to be Leo’s version of an eye-roll.

"She already worries about me being blind, I don't know how she’ll take me being gay as well."

"She might surprise you. She does love you,” Gabriel said.

"I know. It just feels sometimes like she doesn't want me to grow up, that she and my father want me to be their 'Little Lion' forever."

"I sure most parents feel that way,” Gabriel said, and Leo felt the lanky boy’s shoulders shrug against his leg.

"I'm sorry,” Leo said.

"For what?"

"You must miss you mother,” Leo traced a finger along Gabriel’s eyebrows and the bridge of his nose.

"Of course, but I was so young when she passed… I know she loved me, just like your mother loves you, drama, neuroses and all."

“Yes," Leo agreed.

"She'd like you, Leo,” Gabriel sat up and gave Leo a kiss.

"You think so?” Leo returned the kiss eagerly.

"Of course, I have very good taste in boyfriends,” Gabriel jabbed a finger in Leo’s stomach, tickling him.

"Had a lot of them, have you?” Leo flinched, laughed.

"Well, no,” Gabriel ran a hand along the side of Leo’s face. "You're the first."

"I like that. Is that okay? That it makes me happy?” Leo grabbed Gabriel’s hand and kissed the palm.

"Of course - I like that I'm your first boyfriend, too,” Gabriel turned and lay back down on Leo’s lap. He felt Leo’s growing erection against his head through the jeans, he deliberately nestled his head tighter against it.

“Only you're not my first boyfriend,” Leo said.

"Oh, really? Who was your first?” Gabriel cocked an eyebrow.

“Fabio,” Leo smirked.

“Fabio?!"

"When we were in pre-school,” Leo said, “I don’t think he remembers it, but I do. I was very serious."

"I can see that,” Gabriel snorted, “But now I have a serious question, Leonardo,” he felt the blind boy's legs stiffen under his head.

“Yes?" 

"What is this talk about you doing an exchange?” Gabriel asked.


End file.
